HIGH TECH HIGH SCHOOL TO PRESENT SPRING AWAKENING – Students from all Hudson County towns will be participating in Spring Awakening. The 2008 Tony Award-winning rock musical will be presented by the musical theatre majors from March 27 to 29 (see brief below).

Winner of eight Tony Awards, including best musical, Spring Awakening is a rock musical adaptation of Frank Wedekind's 1891 expressionist play about the trials, tribulations, and exhilaration of the teen years. High Tech students will be not only acting, singing, and dancing, but also playing their own instruments and foraying into aerial work and tight choreography.

“The subject matter in Spring Awakening is mature and not recommended for anyone under 13, but hopefully with a powerful piece of theatre, we can enlighten, teach and appreciate the power and beauty of storytelling,” says Noah Dunton, junior from Jersey City. The musical is presented by the junior and senior majors of High Tech’s musical theatre department, who have also just been invited to represent the USA as one of 22 high schools across the country to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in the summer of 2015.

Performances will take place on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, March 27-29, at 7 p.m., with an additional performance at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $15 at www.showtix4u.com.

The HT Musical Theatre is at 8511 Tonnelle Ave. in North Bergen.

This show is not recommended for anyone under 13.

Hackensack Riverkeeper accepting scholarship applications for local high school seniors

Hackensack Riverkeeper is accepting applications for the 2014 Ron Vellekamp Environmental Scholarship. Now in its fourteenth year, the program was created to support college-bound high school seniors who excel academically while demonstrating a strong commitment to the natural world and environmental protection.

All applicants who apply must either live within the 210-square mile Hackensack River Watershed or attend a school located within that region. North Bergen and Secaucus are eligible municipalities, along with certain parts of Jersey City, Bayonne, and Union City.

Teachers and guidance counselors are invited to submit applications on behalf of deserving students, and each school may nominate one student. A panel of Hackensack Riverkeeper trustees and staffers led by Captain Bill Sheehan and Program Director Hugh Carola will review each application. The panel will consider the applicant’s academic achievements, environmental extra-curricular activities and future plans. The $1,000 scholarship is unrestricted and can be used for any required purchases during the student’s first year at college.

Full scholarship application criteria are available online at www.hackensackriverkeeper.org or by calling (201) 968-0808. Applications must be postmarked no later than Earth Day, April 22, 2014. The winner will be chosen no later than June 1.

The late Ronald Vellekamp was a science teacher in Ridgefield, New Jersey. During his life he also served as a Palisades Interstate Park ranger and Boy Scout leader, and was a founding trustee of Hackensack Riverkeeper. The scholarship that bears his name is fitting tribute to an educator whose life was lived in the service of others.

Palisades Medical Center providing free community health screenings

Free screenings and information will be provided at the following locations on blood pressure, heart rate, percentage of oxygen in the blood, peak flow/respiratory, and Body Mass Index (BMI). For more information, call Joanne Riggs at (201) 854-5793.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel, 7615 Broadway, North Bergen

March 23 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Our Lady of Fatima

April 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Free Vein Screening at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center

The Center for Vein Disease at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center (EHMC) will offer free vein screenings on March 22, 24, and April 3 to men and women with visible, abnormal leg veins such as bulging varicose veins or spider veins. Those who experience leg pain or have a history of blood clots are encouraged to attend. Most vein problems can be managed on an outpatient basis with local anesthesia.

Patients with varicose veins should know the early warning signs of vein disease to help prevent potential complications. Symptoms include aching, throbbing or swelling in the legs, ankles or feet. Patients with previous blood clots should also be screened.

The screening includes a physical examination and a thorough review of medical history and treatment options. If further evaluation is needed, a follow-up appointment for non-invasive testing can be scheduled.

Screenings will take place on Saturday, March 22 and Monday, March 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on Thursday, April 3 from 2 to 5 p.m. Pre-registration is required. Call (866)-980-3462 or visit www.englewoodhospital.com and click the “Classes and Support Groups” tab.

The Center for Vein Disease is on the third floor of Englewood Hospital and Medical Center at 350 Engle Street, Englewood.

American Dream project (formerly Xanadu) gets a boost as Giants and Jets settle with developer

The massive recreational center/shopping development on Route 3, once called Xanadu but now called “American Dream,” has reached a settlement with the New York Jets and Giants. Both parties were suing each other over the once-stalled development, which will bring indoor skiing and lots of shopping and big restaurants to the Meadowlands.

According to NJ Biz, “The settlement could set the stage for the Edmonton, Canada-based developer to move forward with construction after nearly two years of litigation, one of many delays and problems during more than a decade of efforts to develop at the site by owners. The two National Football League teams filed lawsuits in 2012 and 2013 seeking to block a proposed expansion by Triple Five, arguing it would cripple game-day traffic around MetLife Stadium.”

The settlement agreement has not been made public.

Integrity House annual Golf Classic to be held on May 19

Integrity House, a nationally recognized substance abuse rehabilitation center with locations in Newark and Secaucus, will host its annual Golf Classic at the Mountain Ridge Country Club in West Caldwell on Monday, May 19. The event will benefit Integrity House’s Bate Adolescent Program, a residential setting which helps youths from ages 13 to 17 to address substance abuse and redirect their lives by providing academic and career-training, age-appropriate treatment, and family therapy groups.

Integrity House is celebrating more than 45 years of providing substance abuse treatment and support services for over 2,400 adult and adolescent addicts annually. “The annual Golf Classic brings awareness to the disease of addiction and the effects it has on individuals and their families, while raising the funds necessary to allow us to provide critical services to a number of underserved populations,” said Robert Budsock, CEO & president of Integrity House. “We are very thankful for the ongoing support of many generous business and community leaders who will once again participate in the Golf Classic and support our mission of helping individuals reclaim their lives.”

Mountain Ridge Country Club is one of the most prestigious private clubs in the Northeast. Through the Integrity House Golf Classic, serious golfers have the opportunity to play this very exclusive course, which was recently improved to meet the precise requirements and standards of the 2012 USGA Senior Amateur Open, which was played on the course.

The event will commence at 10:30 a.m. with a registration and practice range, BBQ lunch and putting contest, followed by a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. Attendees will enjoy a reception and silent auction followed by dinner and awards later in the evening.

If you would like to show support but cannot attend the Golf Classic, Integrity House accepts donations of prizes and merchandise for the silent auction.

For more information or to register, visit www.integrityhouse.org or call (973) 623-7246.

Wear Purple on March 26 to help raise awareness about epilepsy

On March 26, please join the Cieciuch family of Secaucus and people from around the globe in wearing purple to raise awareness about epilepsy.

In 2008, a Canadian fourth grade student named Cassidy Megan extended a challenge to people of the world to stand up and show their support for those living with this life-altering, neurological disorder. The day took on a more local note when Secaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli and the town council officially proclaimed the day in 2012 in support of then-9-year-old Donald Cieciuch, who had been diagnosed with epilepsy when he was five. Now a sixth grade honor student at Huber Street School, Donald has become a spokesperson to not only bring awareness to the disease, but to ensure that people know what to do if they encounter someone having a seizure.

Epilepsy affects over three million people in the United States and 50 million people worldwide. That's more than multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and Parkinson's disease combined. In addition, one in ten people will have a seizure during his or her lifetime.

Despite being a major national health concern, the public is often unable to recognize common seizure types or how to respond with appropriate first aid. Consequently, persons with epilepsy often face social stigma and discrimination.

Donations can be made directly to The Anita Kaufmann Foundation, PO Box 11, New Milford, NJ 07646 or by visiting the website www.akfus.org.

Marshes of the Meadowlands: 1950 to Today

The Meadowland Environment Center (MEC) presents the program Marshes of the Meadowlands: 1950 to Today on Sunday, March 16 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Don Smith, retired chief naturalist with the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission, was born and raised in Little Ferry and is a fountain of knowledge on the history of the Hackensack River and its marshes. Don has spent hundreds of hours hiking, trapping, and traversing this unique ecosystem through the years. Join Don and experience our wonderful marshes through the eyes of this seasoned observer.

Registration is recommended and appreciated. To register visit http://mec.rst2.edu/. For more information call (201) 460-8300.

Third-Tuesday-of-the-Month Bird Walk

Beat the crowd! Celebrate the arrival of spring a day early with this Harrier Meadow spring bird walk on Tuesday, March 18 from 10 a.m. to noon in North Arlington. Walk around the 70-acre natural area that is normally closed to the public and look for ospreys, killdeer and other spring arrivals, plus lingering winter waterfowl. The walk starts at Harrier Meadow, on Disposal Rd. near Schuyler Ave. The walk is sponsored by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission and the Bergen County Audubon Society. Check meadowblog.net for last-minute updates. Participants will have to sign a standard liability release that is good for NJMC/BCAS events throughout the year. To RSVP, contact Don Torino at greatauk4@aol.com or (201) 230-4983.

Hackensack Riverkeeper announces 2014 eco-programs

Hackensack Riverkeeper, the clean water advocacy group, is poised to provide enjoyable and educational experience of the river, its watershed and wildlife. Combining hands-on environmental education with public service and fun, the 2014 season kicks off with EarthFest Overpeck the weekend of April 26-27, and runs through the end of October.

Ongoing River Cleanup conservation events will give people of all ages the opportunity to give back to the environment and their communities. River cleanups are scheduled at eight different waterside locations within the Hackensack River Watershed from April through November. Hackensack Riverkeeper provides cleanup tools and supplies as well as refreshments for all volunteers. All they ask is that everyone pitch in and help rid local waterways of litter and other debris. For more information about river cleanups including group participation and the organization’s Corporate River Stewardship Program, call Events and Outreach Coordinator Sarah Menchise at (201) 968-0808 or e-mail her at Sarah@HackensackRiverkeeper.org.